Joint



R F. PEO

OCt. 197 7.

JOINT Filed SPt' 4' 1934 Patented Get. E9. 1937 armo STATES A. JoiN'r Ralph F. Peo, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Houde Engineering Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 4, 1934, Serial No. 742,549

` 3 claims. (ci. 287-90) This invention relates. to a. joint and more particularly to a joint of the type adapted for use in shock absorber link assembly, drag links and the like.

In a copending application led of even date herewith, Serial No. A743,237, there is described a joint of the same general type as that of the present invention. In the pending applicationI a bushing of yieldable material provides the necessary amount of angular and rotary movement between the movable members of the link assembly through distortion, deformation or interparticle ow of thematerial of the bushing. In the case of drag links that are to besubjected to extra heavy load, I have found that it is desirable to provide an antifriction or self-lubricating bearing between the ball end of the stud and the rubber bushing. The present invention is directed to this type of joint. I

It is therefore an' object'of this invention to provide a joint of simple and inexpensive con-` struction that is adapted for use in connection withv heavy loads. I

It is a further important objectof this invention to provide a novel and improved type of self-lubricating liner for use in joints of this' kind.

Other and further important objects of this of this invention, with 'parts shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a self-lubricating liner.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line III-DI of Fig. 2. Y

Figure 4 is a -fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a joint employing a different type of self-lubricating liner. p

Figure 5 is va. plan view ofthe liner.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a joint showing a still furthe modication.

Figure 7 is a Asectional view taken substantially on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

As shown on the drawing:

The reference numeral I indicates generally a link having at each en'da joint Il forv connection with-a link, lever or stud I2. The joint II comprises an end socket member I3 and is preferably vforged integrally with the link Ill. Said socket I3 is provided internally with a segmental spherical surface Il terminating at one this joint. The sleeve, indicated by the reference end .in a restricted circular opening l5. A cylindrical surface I6 extends from saidse'gmental f spherical surface I4 to theend of ysaid'socket and is threaded-as at Il for most of its length.

The stud I2 'is provided with a ball end I8Vl 5, adapted to be positioned within the socket I3, with the shank I9 of the stud extending through the restricted opening I5. In accordance with the present invention, a pair of, anti-friction bearing sleeves 20 andv2I substantially enclose the ballend I 8. These bearing sleeves'20 and 2| may be made of any suitable metal, such as phosphor bronze, brass or the like, impreg-v nated with graphite or other lubricating substance.

A rubber bushing 22 `surrounds the sleeve-enclosed ball end` I8, a collar portion 23 being vprovide'd on said bushing to snugly engage the shank I9 of the stud and to fill the space between said shank and the restricted neckl I of the socket. Said collar 23 serves to exclude dirt and inoisture from the bearing surfaces. Y 1

A closure member 24 comprising an externally threaded plug is threaded into engagement'.

vwith the threads Il of the lcylindrical socket' 25 portion I6. Saidv closure 24 is provided with a segmental spherical surface 25 for engagement with the outer surface of the bushing 22.

I n assembling the joint, the ball end I8 is moved relatively to the socket-I3 so that vwith 30 in place and the rubber bushing 22 mounted thereon. The rubber bushings 22 are preferably l molded to such size and shape as to t snugly about the ball end I8 and also within the spheri- 'cal portion I4 of the socket I3. The closure member 24 is .then threaded into place'to hold the bushing 22- under .some slight degree of compression, at least sufllcient to prevent any slippage betweenthe outer surface of the bushing A and the contacting surfaces of the socket and closure member duringoperation of the joint. After the closuremember 24 has' been threaded home, it may Vbe locked in place by deforming I a thread or twoof the threaded portionv I'I, as by means ofa. prick punch inserted through slots 25 formed in the closure member for this pur-v joint is the same and similar elements of the Joint are 'indicated with the same numbers provided with`a small letter a. A different type of self-` lubricating bearing sleeve is, however, shown in In Figs-'4 and 5 the general construction ofthe 0 l numeral 30, comprises a single piece of thin metal of -segmental spherical form and provided with circumferentially extending slots 3| and apertures 32. The slots 3| provide the necessary amount of resiliency to allow the one-piece sleeve 30 to be snapped over the ball end I8a. The resiliency of the sleeve 30, as Well as the compressive force of the rubber bushing 22a, holds the sleeve 30 in snug engagement with the ball end Isa. As previously described, the sleeve 30 is made of some lubricant impregnated metal so that it requires no lubrication after assembly.

In Figs. 6 and '1, a further modification of bearing sleeve is illustrated. Said sleeve, indicated generally by the reference numeral 35, comprises a pair of metal segments 36 and 31 of segmental spherical shape and provided with mating peripheral flanges 38 and 39, respectively. Each of the segments 36 and 31 is also provided withan upstanding, outwardly iiared collar I0. A flange I on each of the collars 4U rests against the neck 15b defining the restricted opening of the socket member. The sleeve segments 36 and 31 are also provided with perforations 42. l'

The rubber bushing 43 is preferably molded with an inner groove or recess M for receiving the flanges. 38 and 3,9. The linterlocking of the flanges 38 and 39 with the groove '44 prevents any relative surface movement betweenthe sleeve 35 and the inner surface of the rubber bushing 43.r

In each type' of joint, all of the relative surface movement is between the ball end I8 and the ,osassv entire inner surface of the rubber bushing and the ball end.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I', therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitatedby the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. .Ajoint assembly comprising a housing having an opening at one end, a stud having a headed portion in said housing, a metallic shell about said headed portion and having an out. wardlyared collar or neck extending through said opening, and a liner of rubber, or the like resilient material, within said housing and interposed between said shell and the inner face of the wall of said housing, said collar cooperating with said housing to shield said liner from dirt or the like. v

2. A Joint assembly comprising a housing having an opening at one end, a stud having a'headed portion in said housing, a metallic shell about said headed portion and having a collar extending through `.said opening and provided with a flange overlying an end of the wall of said housing, and a liner ofrubber, or like resilient material, within said housing and interposed between said shell and the inner face of the wall of said housing.

3. In a joint assembly which includes a housing open at one endJ and a stud having a ballshaped head in the housing, a hollow metallic ball tted over said head,and a hollow ball of rubber, or the like, fitted over said metallic ball, said metallic ball being providedwith an integrally formed collar extending through said rubber ball and adapted to extend through the opening in said housinsaid stud being disposed extending through said collar and through the opening in said housing.

RALPH F. PEO. 

